Mail-pouch rack.



V. WILLOUGHBY. MAIL POUGH RACK.` APPLIGATION H1311 00T. s, 1912.

1,097,958, Patented May 26, 1914,

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ATTORN EY QM @bil COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH Co., WASHINGTON. n. CA

V. WILLOUGHBY. MAIL POUCH RACK.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 3, 1912. 1,097,958, Patented May 26, 1914.

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www 'gygleuwy W' ATToRNEv WITN ESSES VICTOR- WILLOU'GHBY, OF JEFFERSONITILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPAN'K, OF ST. LOUIS,

J ERSEY.

MISSOURI, A CORPORATION F NEW MAIL-POUCH RACK.

To all lwhom t may concern-f Be it known that I, VICTOR IVILLoUGHBY, residing at Jeffersonville, Indiana, and be ing a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Pouch Racks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable othersl skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and to use the same, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvio-us that various modications thereof will occur to persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a physical embodiment,

, showing a preferred form of my invention,

shown in extended position in full lines and shown diagrannnatically in folded position in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken to one side of the center thereof and in the plane indicated by the line 2`2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction` of the arrow. Figs. 3, 4L and 5 are detailed horizontal cross-sectional views taken on the planes indicated respectively by the lines 3 3, eth1 and 5 5 of Fig. 2, Fig. 8, looking down upon a retaining catch, Fig. 4 looking down upon an upper bracket and Fig. 5 looking down upon a combined lower bracket and centering device.

My invention relates to a folding mail pouch rack, and the principal object of my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive rack particularly adapted for use in railroad mail cars, which racks may bereadily locked in folded position against the side of the car, so as to take up the least amount of space in folded position, and to project from the car side a maximum distance when in extended position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the above indicated character braced from the wall or support so as tc prevent side movement thereof, and a still further object of my invention is to provide a means for automatically centering the rack when lowered into its extended position.

Described more in detail I have shown a support A, which, of course, may be the car wall, spaced apart horizontally on which is a pair of upper brackets 6, each of which Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed october s, 1912.

i l l Patented May 26, 1914. Serial No. 723,734.

brackets, as shown more particularly in Fig. il, comprise a pair of horizontal spaced bearings 7 sti-'adolling one of which is the U.shaped strap 8, which strap is removably held iny position by the bolt connection 9. Pivotally secured to the brackets is the rack B, which rack, as shown, is formed by spaced side frame mem-bers 10, connected by means of the connecting hollow rods 11, 12, 13 and 141. The rod 11 passes through the straps 8 and bears on the bearings 7, thereby constituting a: pivot pin for the rack. By this construction it is seen that the rack may be readily removed from the upper bracket 6 by withdrawing the bolt`s9 and dismounting the straps 8. The rack B is braced in extended position by means of a pair of two-part members extending from the rack to the supe port below the brackets. Each of these twopart members comprise an arm 15, the upper end; of which is slightly curved inward, as

shown at 16, and is pivoted to the intermedi-v ate connecting rod 12 adjacent the side frame member 10. The lower end of the arm 15 is pivoted, by means of a bolt 17, between the bifurcated ends 18 of a depending link 19, the upper end of which link is pivoted, by means of a bolt 20 between the outstanding ears 21, projecting from the lower bracket 22, the base of each of the brackets 22 being in substantially vertical alinement with one of the upper brackets 6.

Projecting horizontally fromI the lower portion of each of the lower brackets 22 is a plate 23, the outer edge of which is provided with a slot having an inwardly beveled shoulder 24, which shoulder and slot are adapted to engage the outside of thelink 19, and are adapted to center the rack B in its extended position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and to afford a means for minimizing the side movement or play of this rack. By this construction it is noted that the arm 15 is made relatively short but the hook or inward curve 16 and the link 19 throw the arm 15 outward, so that the said arm becomes, when the device is in closed position, an angular brace, the lower pivot 17 of which projects considerably beyond the line or plane of the center of gravity of the rack when in closed position, thereby wedging the rack in its closed position and, to a certain extent, acting as a toggle joint between the lower pivot bracket 2O and the rack pivot 28. In other words, the base or lower portion of the arm 15 with the link 19 are so arranged at the pivot 17, which is practically the articulating pivot, that the rack may be raised or lowered by moving the pivot 17 inward or outward, as desired, when the rack is in closed position. rIhis construction permits the placing of the device at a high level in the car and yet operatively within reach. The link 19 may be made as long as desired and the projecting plate 23 is so arranged that it will hold the link 19 in projected position, so that the pivots 1T and 8 are in approximately the same vertical plane when the device is in operative position and the rack B will be supported not only at one edge thereof, but at a point below the same and at some material distance in advance of the support or car wall A.

To assist in holding the rack in its raised or folded position, shown more particularly in dotted lines in Fig. 2, there is positioned on the support A and above and between the brackets 6 an automatic catch C, which emergency catch comprises a pair of spacer U-straps 25, carrying` a pivot pin 26, which pivot pin is integral with and extends transversely to the projecting finger 27, which finger has a semi-circular recess 28 in the underface thereof adapted to t over the connecting rod 12 and retain the rack in its raised position. The inward movement of the rack is limited by a stop 29, forming an abutment for the rod 12.

TNhat l claim is:

1. ln a device of the class described, a support, a pair of vertically spaced brackets on said support, a side frame member pivoted to one of said brackets, a link pivoted to the other bracket, an arm connecting said link and member, and means engaging said link to center the same.

2. ln a device of the class described, a support, a rack pivoted to said support, braces extending from said support to said rack, and means engaging the outside of each ofV said braces to prevent transverse movement thereof.

3. ln a device of the class described, a support and a rack, an articulated brace therefor having arms of unequal length, the longer of said arms being provided with an inward curve at the rack pivot and the shorter arm being arranged of a length suflicient to throw the base of the longer arm beyond the center of gravity of the rack when in closed position to hold the same.

4. In a device of the class described, a support and a rack, an articulated brace therefor pivoted to said support and having arms of unequal length, the longer of said arms being adapted to support the rack in operative position below the supporting pivot of the said articulated brace, and means for centering the rack in its extended position.

5. In a device of the class described, a support and a rack, an articulated brace therefor, a pivot for the said brace attached to the said support and provided with a restraining stop, said brace comprising arms of unequal length, the longer of said arms being provided with an inward curve at the rack pivot and a shorter arm being arranged of a length sufficient to throw the base of the longer arm beyond the center of gravity of the rack when in closed position to lock the same.

6. In a device of the class described, a support and a rack, an articulated brace therefor, a pivot for the said brace attached to the said support and provided with a restraining stop, said brace having arms of unequal length, the longer of said arms being provided with an inward curve at the rack pivot and the shorter of said arms loeing arranged of a length suflicient to throw the base of the longer arm beyond the center of gravity of the rack when in closed position and lock the same, and also being adapted to rest upon the restraining stop to maintain the articulated pivot of the brace in the vertical plane of the said rack pivot.

In witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

VICTOR VILLOUGHBY. -Witnesses:

C. B. Bunson, THnoDonn E. Lyons.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

